Gunwharf Quays

Last updated

Gunwharf Quays
Gunwharf Quays East Plaza 1.jpg
The East Plaza at Gunwharf Quays
Gunwharf Quays
Location Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Coordinates 50°47′42″N1°06′21″W / 50.7949°N 1.1058°W / 50.7949; -1.1058
Owner Land Securities
No. of stores and services93 plus a cinema, 25 pubs and restaurants
No. of floors2
Website gunwharf-quays.com

Gunwharf Quays is a shopping centre located in the Portsea area of the city of Portsmouth in England. It was constructed in the early 21st century on the site of what had once been HM Gunwharf, Portsmouth. This was one of several such facilities which were established around Britain and the Empire by the Board of Ordnance, where cannons, ammunition and other armaments were stored, repaired and serviced ready for use on land or at sea. Later known as HMS Vernon, the military site closed in 1995, and opened to the public as Gunwharf Quays on 28 February 2001 [1] after six years of reconstruction (which included the restoration of some of the surviving 18th and 19th-century Gun Wharf buildings). The landmark Spinnaker Tower, which stands close to the site on pilings in Portsmouth Harbour, was opened on 18 October 2005. [2]

Contents

History

The 'Gun Wharfe' (Old Gun Wharf) in 1750, from a map drawn by J. P. Desmaretz. Gunwharfe, Portsmouth (Plan, 1750).jpg
The 'Gun Wharfe' (Old Gun Wharf) in 1750, from a map drawn by J. P. Desmaretz.

An Ordnance Yard (the Old Gun Wharf) was established on land reclaimed from the sea to the north of the old Mill Pond (which survives today as the canal) in 1706. [3] The site was extended by reclaiming further land from the sea to the south of the old Mill Pond to create the New Gun Wharf in circa 1800. [3] The Grand Storehouse (built as part the New Gun Wharf and now known as the Vulcan Building) was completed in 1814. [3]

Central section of the Grand Storehouse of 1814, now known as the Vulcan Building The Vulcan Building, Portsmouth - 2023-04-23.jpg
Central section of the Grand Storehouse of 1814, now known as the Vulcan Building

A wide range of ordnance-related equipment had to be accommodated within the Yard. Gun carriages in particular took up a lot of space, and were prone to decay if left outside. Cannons and cannonballs, on the other hand, could be stored in the open air without too much damage being done, as described here in 1817:

Every ship in ordinary has on the wharf her guns, placed in regular rows, each ship's guns by themselves, with the name of the ship they belong to, painted in capital letters on the first gun of each parcel. The balls are formed in pyramids from 42 pounders to the lowest bores, every size in a pyramid by themselves; the bomb shells are also placed in the same regular order. [4]

In 1824 a set of storehouses along the southern edge of the site were converted to form barracks for the Royal Marine Artillery (the first time that this section of the Corps had been provided with its own separate barracks). In 1858 the Royal Marine Artillery moved out (first to Fort Cumberland, then to the new purpose-built Eastney Barracks); [5] Gunwharf Barracks were then given over to the Royal Artillery for a time, [6] after which they were occupied by the Army Ordnance Corps until 1891. [7]

The Grand Storehouse was mirrored by a similarly sizeable "Sea Service Store" on the Old Gun Wharf (later remodelled to serve as the Warrior naval accommodation block). In addition to these two, a plan dated 1859 indicates more than a dozen other large storehouses all around the site. [8]

As ships and armaments developed, the requirement to offload the armament diminished, and the Gunwharf fell into disuse. It re-established as the Royal Navy shore establishment HMS Vernon in 1923. [9] The site became HMS Nelson in 1986 and ceased operations in 1995. [5]

The site was then sold to Berkeley Group Holdings in 1996 and, after being redeveloped to a design by HGP Architects, re-opened as a retail outlet on 28 February 2001. [5] The 29 story largely residential tower No.1 Gunwhalf Quay was added to the site between 2008 and 2009. [10]

Retained historic buildings and structures

Map of 1773 showing the Gun Wharf jutting into the harbour, just north of the entrance to the Mill Pond 1773 map of portsmouth showing the town and dock defences.JPG
Map of 1773 showing the Gun Wharf jutting into the harbour, just north of the entrance to the Mill Pond

HMS Vernon suffered extensive damage during the Blitz, but a number of historic structures survived, some of which have been restored as part of the Gunwharf Quays development.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portsmouth</span> City in Hampshire, England

Portsmouth is a port city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent. This means Portsmouth is the only English city not located primarily on the mainland. Located 74 miles (119 km) south-west of London, 50 miles (80 km) west of Brighton and Hove, and 22 miles (35 km) south-east of Southampton; Portsmouth is part of the South Hampshire conurbation. It is the most densely populated city in the United Kingdom, with a population last recorded at 208,100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woolwich Dockyard</span> Naval dockyard in Kent, England; in use from 1512 to 1869

Woolwich Dockyard was an English naval dockyard along the river Thames at Woolwich in north-west Kent, where many ships were built from the early 16th century until the late 19th century. William Camden called it 'the Mother Dock of all England'. By virtue of the size and quantity of vessels built there, Woolwich Dockyard is described as having been 'among the most important shipyards of seventeenth-century Europe'. During the Age of Sail, the yard continued to be used for shipbuilding and repair work more or less consistently; in the 1830s a specialist factory within the dockyard oversaw the introduction of steam power for ships of the Royal Navy. At its largest extent it filled a 56-acre site north of Woolwich Church Street, between Warspite Road and New Ferry Approach; 19th-century naval vessels were fast outgrowing the yard, however, and it eventually closed in 1869. The former dockyard area is now partly residential, partly industrial, with remnants of its historic past having been restored.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Arsenal</span> Public community common, and housing, formerly a Military owned site

The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich is an establishment on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England, that was used for the manufacture of armaments and ammunition, proofing, and explosives research for the British armed forces. It was originally known as the Woolwich Warren, having begun on land previously used as a domestic warren in the grounds of a mid-16th century Tudor house, Tower Place. Much of the initial history of the site is linked with that of the Office of Ordnance, which purchased the Warren in the late 17th century in order to expand an earlier base at Gun Wharf in Woolwich Dockyard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chatham Dockyard</span> Former Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent

Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. Established in Chatham in the mid-16th century, the dockyard subsequently expanded into neighbouring Gillingham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HMNB Portsmouth</span> British Royal Navy base

His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy. Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth; it is located on the eastern shore of Portsmouth Harbour, north of the Solent and the Isle of Wight. For centuries it was officially known as HM Dockyard, Portsmouth: as a Royal Dockyard, Portsmouth functioned primarily as a state-owned facility for building, repairing and maintaining warships; for a time it was the largest industrial site in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Priddy's Hard</span> Former military installation in Gosport, Hampshire, England

Priddy's Hard is a former military installation in Gosport, England named for the original landowner and the firm beach found there. The site originated as a 1750s fort, and then became an armaments depot for Royal Navy and British Army weapons, explosives and other stores. The site was decommissioned in 1988, after over two hundred years of operation, with part now being developed for housing and an area retained as a museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal William Victualling Yard</span> Site of Grade I and II listed buildings in Plymouth

The Royal William Victualling Yard in Stonehouse, a suburb of Plymouth, England, was the major victualling depot of the Royal Navy and an important adjunct of Devonport Dockyard. It was designed by the architect Sir John Rennie and was named after King William IV. It was built between 1826 and 1835 and occupies a site of approximately 16 acres (65,000 m2) being half of Western Kings, north of Devil's Point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HMNB Devonport</span> Operating base in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy

His Majesty's Naval Base, Devonport is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy and is the sole nuclear repair and refuelling facility for the Royal Navy. The largest naval base in Western Europe, HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth, England.

HMS <i>Marlborough</i> (1855) Ship of the line of the Royal Navy

HMS Marlborough was a first-rate three-decker 131-gun screw ship built for the Royal Navy in 1855. She was begun as a sailing ship of the line, but was completed to a modified design and converted to steam on the stocks, and launched as a wooden steam battleship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Square Tower</span> Fortification in Broad Street Portsmouth

The Square Tower is one of the oldest parts of the fortifications of Portsmouth, England. It is a Grade I listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheerness Dockyard</span>

Sheerness Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the Sheerness peninsula, at the mouth of the River Medway in Kent. It was opened in the 1660s and closed in 1960.

Aspex Portsmouth is a contemporary visual art gallery located in the Gunwharf Quays area of Portsmouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stonehouse Barracks</span>

Stonehouse Barracks, or RM Stonehouse, is a military installation at Stonehouse, Plymouth. It is the home of 3 Commando Brigade and referred to by commandos as 'the spiritual home of the Royal Marines'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forton Barracks</span>

Forton Barracks was a military installation near Gosport in Hampshire, which served first as an Army barracks and then as a divisional headquarters for the Royal Marines. It subsequently served as a Royal Navy training establishment. Today, the site is occupied by St Vincent College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastney Barracks</span>

Eastney Barracks was a military installation occupied by the Royal Marines and located at Eastney near Portsmouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Marine Depot, Deal</span>

The Royal Marine Depot, Deal was a military installation occupied by the Royal Marines and located in South Deal, Kent, on the road to Walmer. The Depot was first established in Deal in 1861, occupying part of the Royal Naval Hospital. In 1868 the Depot expanded and took over the nearby 18th-century Army barracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Marine Barracks, Woolwich</span>

The Royal Marine Barracks, Woolwich was a military installation occupied by the Royal Marines and located in Frances Street, just south of Woolwich Dockyard. After the Royal Marines' departure from Woolwich it was renamed Cambridge Barracks, while the adjacent Royal Marine Infirmary was renamed Red Barracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milldam Barracks</span>

Milldam Barracks is a former a military installation at Portsmouth, Hampshire. The complex includes two Grade II listed buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Clarence Yard</span>

Royal Clarence Yard in Gosport, Hampshire, England was established in 1828 as one of the Royal Navy's two principal, purpose built, provincial victualling establishments. It was designed by George Ledwell Taylor, Civil Architect to the Navy Board and named after the then Duke of Clarence. The new victualling yard was developed on approximately 20 hectares of land, some of which was already in use as a brewing establishment at Weevil on the west shore of Portsmouth Harbour, to the north of Gosport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sydney Cove West Archaeological Precinct</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Sydney Cove West Archaeological Precinct is a heritage-listed precinct that contains The Rocks police station, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, car park, parks, shops and roads located at 112–156 George Street, in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The precinct previously contained a commissariat store, Maritime Services Board offices, dockyard and Department of Labour & Industry offices. Buildings in the precinct were developed in various stages since 1797 to date, with heritage-listed buildings dating from 1797 to 1939. The precinct is also known as the Museum of Contemporary Art, Maritime Services Board, Colonial Government naval dockyard, Commissariat Stores, Colonial Hospital, Kings and Queens Wharf and First Fleet Park. The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 5 August 2011.

References

  1. "New era dawns for Portsmouth as Gunwharf quays opens". www.portsmouth.co.uk.
  2. "History & Construction". Emirates Spinnaker Tower.
  3. 1 2 3 "The Origins of Gunwharf and HMS Vernon". History in Portsmouth. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  4. Allen, Lake (1817). The History of Portsmouth. London: Hatfield & co.
  5. 1 2 3 Groombridge, Garth (2017). Portsmouth in 50 Buildings. Amberley Publishing. ISBN   978-1445664064.
  6. The New Portsmouth Guide, Containing a Full Description of the Island and Its Environs, Together with the Dock-yard, Gun-wharf, and Royal Clarence Victualling Establishment (11th ed.). Portsmouth: William Henry Charpentier. 1860. p. 68.
  7. Underwood, Michael (2015). Gunwharf Quays: The History, Architecture, Conservation and Development of a Remarkable Military Site. Portsmouth: Tricorn Books.
  8. "Plan of Gunwharf 1859". Minewarfare & Clearance Diving Officers' Association.
  9. "HMS Vernon" . Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  10. O’Brien, Charles; Bailey, Bruce; Pevsner, Nikolaus; Lloyd, David W. (2018). The Buildings of England Hampshire: South. Yale University Press. p. 506. ISBN   9780300225037.
  11. Historic England. "HMS Nelson; Building number 58 (1245373)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  12. Historic England. "Former Gunwharf Gateway and walls of approximately 3 meters to north 38 meters to south (1378580)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  13. Historic England. "Perimeter walls with gateways including former main gate and lodges (1333204)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  14. 1 2 Historic England. "Vulcan Block (Building number 21) and attached bollards (1104329)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  15. Historic England. "Building number 47 (The Royal Marines Infirmary) (1378579)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 1 October 2015.